Not Just Play - Building Skills and Learning with LEGO®

LEGO® has been around in one form or another since the 1940s and most parents have a good understanding of the basic LEGO® concept. However, over the years, this once-simple toy has evolved into a titan of childhood play, with new and ever-changing ways to engage kids. From theme parks to books to the LEGO® Movie, the world of Legos has become a mainstay in most kid’s lives! That might seem a little crazy, but LEGO® is actually brilliant for your child’s development and can enhance their understanding of various skills. Below are just a few ways LEGO® and learning go together.

Creativity

From the beginning, creativity has been a cornerstone of LEGO® and learning. The basic bricks are especially good for building your child’s imagination and gradually teach them to plan for a bigger picture. It takes a lot of dedication and perseverance to transform them into whatever fantastical form your child chooses. Even the larger sets that are being sold now with a clear end goal still provide children with a finished product to continue playing with. A LEGO® spaceship can transform into an entire day’s worth of Star Wars play!

Geometry, mathematics and engineering

LEGO® encourages children to think in three dimensions and the various constructions they make help with geometry, mathematics and engineering. This mode of thought is a precursor to physics and will improve a child’s understanding of the world at large. Plus, there are a ton of architects and engineers out there today who contribute in part their love of building to LEGO® in their childhoods.

Communication and critical thinking

Although there are plenty of individual LEGO® builders, it is also an activity that you can share with other kids. Working together toward a common goal will develop their communication skills further as well as enhance their critical thinking in both group and individual settings.

Improved literacy

At times there has been some criticism of LEGO® kits and their perceived dulling effect on imagination, but they have developed other skills in kids. There are pictures and written instructions for every LEGO® kit, so kids have to read to understand how the pieces fit together. Not to mention that the instructions foster an increased ability to follow directions with the resulting positive reinforcement being a completed toy and sense of accomplishment.

Problem-solving, organization and planning

As your kids grow, LEGO® grows with them and sets higher and higher bars for them to exceed. The increased scale and scope of building certain kits means more organization and planning is required from your child. It also helps them problem-solve if they can’t find a certain part or need to assemble one thing before they can attach it to a larger entity.

LEGO®’s basic brick design hasn’t changed over the years, but the way they engage with children definitely has! From the amateur to aficionado level, kids who play with LEGO® are developing key skills for functioning as adults, as well as expressing their creativity in a fun and healthy way.

Images by Kiama. Library and PICNIC Network, used under Creative Commons license